Protect your Conveyor System from the rigors of summertime heat

Heat can affect conveyor performance

Summer is on the way, and with it comes the heat that can impact your conveyors

With the heat comes environmental concerns when dealing
with conveyors and conveying accessories. Even with the highest quality
materials and stringent quality checks in the manufacturing process, it’s
always best to keep a closer eye on conveyor equipment during warm weather.

Like any machine, conveyor is affected by heat.

How can warm weather affect your conveyor system? Is the
location of your system air-conditioned? Are you in a naturally warm-weather
climate? Many factories, warehouses, and distribution centers are not. If
yours isn’t, this can lead to situations where a buildup of heat during the
summer months might cause problems.

It’s a given that friction leads to heat, and conveyor
systems have many friction points. Couple that with hot summer weather, and
the possibility of higher than normal temperatures in rotating or moving
conveyor parts becomes a concern. Heat also expands—another challenge that
heat presents to machinery in general, and conveyors in specific.

The good news is that for the most part, simple
preventative maintenance can head off most heat-related issues. Here
are some steps you can take to keep your conveyor system running perfectly
during the summer heat:

Check the bearing seals.

Check reducer oil periodically. This should be a part
of your routine maintenance in every season, although summer heat in
particular can put additional strain on the reducer parts.

Keep a close watch on the motor and watch for
potential overheating. In the summer heat, the amp draw will rise. Use
the ammeter to check this.

Heat also affects conveyor belts, depending on the
type. There could be some slight stretching, which in turn could cause
slipping or belt tracking issues. In extreme situations, the belt might
even become tacky.

Conveyors are designed to
operate in the sometimes-brutal conditions of operational warehouses and
plants. They can perform in the heat, and have for decades. Every
heat-related issue can be avoided or solved outright with proper
maintenance. Make sure your conveyor maintenance technicians are familiar
with conveyors and know how to combat rising summer temperatures. Summertime
heat is inevitable, but conveyor downtime due to heat-induced problems
isn’t.

If you have questions about this
article, please contact us.

Summer is on the way, and with it comes the heat that can impact your conveyors

With the heat comes environmental concerns when dealing
with conveyors and conveying accessories. Even with the highest quality
materials and stringent quality checks in the manufacturing process, it’s
always best to keep a closer eye on conveyor equipment during warm weather.

Like any machine, conveyor is affected by heat.

How can warm weather affect your conveyor system? Is the
location of your system air-conditioned? Are you in a naturally warm-weather
climate? Many factories, warehouses, and distribution centers are not. If
yours isn’t, this can lead to situations where a buildup of heat during the
summer months might cause problems.

It’s a given that friction leads to heat, and conveyor
systems have many friction points. Couple that with hot summer weather, and
the possibility of higher than normal temperatures in rotating or moving
conveyor parts becomes a concern. Heat also expands—another challenge that
heat presents to machinery in general, and conveyors in specific.

The good news is that for the most part, simple
preventative maintenance can head off most heat-related issues. Here
are some steps you can take to keep your conveyor system running perfectly
during the summer heat:

Check the bearing seals.

Check reducer oil periodically. This should be a part
of your routine maintenance in every season, although summer heat in
particular can put additional strain on the reducer parts.

Keep a close watch on the motor and watch for
potential overheating. In the summer heat, the amp draw will rise. Use
the ammeter to check this.

Heat also affects conveyor belts, depending on the
type. There could be some slight stretching, which in turn could cause
slipping or belt tracking issues. In extreme situations, the belt might
even become tacky.

Conveyors are designed to
operate in the sometimes-brutal conditions of operational warehouses and
plants. They can perform in the heat, and have for decades. Every
heat-related issue can be avoided or solved outright with proper
maintenance. Make sure your conveyor maintenance technicians are familiar
with conveyors and know how to combat rising summer temperatures. Summertime
heat is inevitable, but conveyor downtime due to heat-induced problems
isn’t.